On July 22, county commissioners had a discussion concerning the county's attorney. I do not know personally any of the parties involved, and only having met Don Elwell, I believe I have an unbiased opinion.

I was in law enforcement for 20 years (police chief for 13 years) and in management for Ford Motor Co. for 23 years. I am very familiar with personality issues and "he said, she said, they said."

If there is friction between two individuals, it's a matter of opinion who is to blame. Also, friendships and associations are often at play in political decisions. Commission Chair Ron Handley said Ms. Carmichael's attorney had an "adversarial approach." That statement could be a matter of opinion, and does not make it accurate.

I believe that the county's attorney should only be reporting to the board that hired and has authority to terminate her. If the county's attorney has to report to a third party, and they don't always agree, that could cause conflict. It doesn't put blame on any one person, it just isn't necessary. Sometimes micromanaging can hamper a person.

It's also unclear why County Administrator Vosburg would need to hire an attorney for this matter.

Finally, I commend Don Elwell for his decision to take more time to reflect on this matter.

Allen Warchak